France does not support the creation of migrant return centers outside the borders of the European Union (EU) in third countries and will oppose the use of EU budget funds to finance such projects.
“Elchi” reports that French President Emmanuel Macron stated this at a press conference following the EU summit.
Macron reaffirmed his support for a tougher European policy against illegal migration, including accelerated processing of applications and the return of individuals who do not have the right to stay in Europe.
At the same time, he criticized the idea of placing migrants in third countries, emphasizing that it is ineffective and contrary to Europe’s fundamental principles. The French President also rejected the possibility of financing such projects from the EU budget.
“I will oppose the use of the EU budget, especially the budget intended for Europe’s international policy, for the construction of migrant return centers,” Macron said.
According to him, if individual states want to pursue such a policy, the issues of creating such centers should remain within their own jurisdiction, but France does not intend to implement such a model.
Macron also expressed skepticism about the practical effectiveness of this initiative, noting that he does not know of any examples of successfully operating migrant return centers in third countries.